A year they'll all remember
by Captain Carrot
Summary: An R/H, H/G fanfic. I know the title's not very original but it was all I could come up with in about a minute!


Disclaimer: J. K. Rowling owns all the names and locations and possibly other random items in this chapter.  
  
Chapter 1: How it all began.  
  
It had been an eventful summer. No one, apart from Fred, George, Ginny and Harry, knew about Ron and Hermione and that was the way they wanted it to be. Everyone had promised not to tell, after being threatened that they'd find themselves transported from the showers to the middle of the quidditch pitch, if they didn't, in some cases, and that was how it had stayed.  
  
The first term however had been somewhat less momentous. The fifth year had brought O.W.L.s and they had in turn brought work. Quidditch had continued and training was hard. Angelina had been made captain of the Gryffindor team and didn't want to let the side down. Oliver Wood had made it into the Montrose Magpies, an amazing feat for any quidditch player. The Magpies are considered the greatest team of all time and everyone wanted to keep the letter Wood had sent. Hermione said it would probably be very valuable one day and then a riot broke out. Dumbledore brought an end to this by telling the faculty and pupils that it belonged to Hogwarts.   
  
It was two weeks until the end of term when a horrible incident occurred. It was during a Hufflepuff - Gryffindor match. Very few pupils had a pair of omnioculars so Hermione and Ron felt it would not be noticed if they didn't pay all their attention to the game. What they didn't know was that they were being watched…  
  
"I don't believe, the pauper and the mudblood. I suppose I shouldn't have expected much more."  
  
"But how do we hit the girl if…"  
  
"Shhh, we can hit to birds with one stone. It'll be an even better warning that we don't want people like that in our school."  
  
"And the master will be pleased."  
  
"Shhh, that's not my problem… yet and we don't want to be over heard. When I give the signal."   
  
The pair pulled apart just as he gave the signal. Ron froze. Hermione was not one to let her emotions get the better of her but instinct took over. She screamed.  
The game stopped. The school froze.  
  
Author's note: I know it's short but I thought it would be good to end the first chapter with a cliffhanger. It hasn't earned it's rating yet but it will. If you want an in depth evaluation of the summer read 'Picturesque' by the Sky Sorceress, it is so funny! Please r/r!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Anything that doesn't belong to J. K. Rowling, belongs to me and vice versa.  
  
Chapter 2: What happened next.  
  
Before Hermione could react professor Mcgonnagal and Dumbledore were on either side of her and Snape was organising the evacuation of the stands. Much to her surprise, Hermione was crying. Professor Mcgonnagal levitated Ron and Dumbledore took Hermione's hand and gave her his handkerchief.   
  
"Come along, Miss Granger, we'll just take Ron to the hospital wing and then you and I will go up to my office. Okay?"  
  
Hermione could not talk but nodded.  
  
Harry was distressed. He skipped his shower but nobody said anything. The twins were upset but knew there was nothing they could do. They dragged themselves back to the common room but couldn't even muster enough energy for a game of exploding snap.  
  
Harry ran through the corridors until he reached Dumbledore's office. He stood there yelling.  
  
" Toffee, Sherbet lemon, Liquorice allsort, Jelly baby."  
  
The door swung open revealing the secret staircase. Harry ran up the stairs and burst through the doors.   
  
"Potter!"  
  
"I'm sorry but I had to know about Ron."  
  
"That's no excuse…."  
  
"I think we can make an exception this once, although I don't condone bursting into rooms either. The boy was clearly upset about his friend."  
  
"Do you know what's happened sir?"  
  
"We know that it was a complex, immobilisation spell. It has to be performed by at least 5 people. At least one of them must be awake at all times. Their conscious minds keep the spell going. Ron won't die, if you're worried about that. He's frozen in time that's why he can't move. When he's brought out of this he will think that he's still at the quidditch match. We don't know which spell was used or who cast it. We can't do anything until we find that out."  
"Now that's all straightened out you must both return to the common room. The prefects will be worried and you've probably got homework due in on Monday."  
  
Harry and Hermione trudged back to the common room where Neville was having a fit.  
  
"Where have you been I thought you'd been hurt too. You, Harry and Ron were the only ones unaccounted for. Oh dear, I appear to have put my foot in it."  
  
At the mention of Ron, Hermione had burst into tears and run up the stairs followed by Ginny and Angelina was standing in front of the staircase so they could be left alone. Harry was left to explain where they'd been.  
  
"We were talking to Dumbledore, that's all. School will carry on as normal on Monday. I've got homework to do."  
  
Hermione was sprawled across her bed, curtains closed, with tears streaming down her cheeks. Ginny slid onto the edge of the bed, crossed her legs and shut the curtains again.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm sad he's hurt but he'll get better. I know he will. They always do."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Harry and Ron."  
  
" But Dumbledore said there's nothing he can do until they find out who did it or what spell they used."  
  
"Then why don't we find out? We could help. You read really quickly and I'll try as well. You can't just sit here and cry. You'll fail your O.W.L.s if you do. Ron wouldn't want that."  
  
"You're right. The show must go on. I will get through this. Harry will help, won't he?"  
  
"Of course he will Hermione, of course he will.  
  
Author's note: I know this is getting less and less plausible and it hasn't fulfilled it's rating but this is the boring explanation that every story has to have before the fun can start. (It's going to get a lot less plausible before the end and probably a lot more corny but it's fun to write.) + I know the disclaimers are tiny but otherwise my stories take up 3 pages instead of 2 in word. Please r/r!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters locations, sports, etc.  
  
Chapter 3: Christmas at last.   
  
To Hermione that fortnight had lasted forever. It was Christmas now and Hermione had said she would stay at Hogwarts for Christmas so stay she would. She decided to carry on as normal for now. She was a prefect and it wasn't fair to leave Neville in charge of Gryffindor house. Very few of the younger pupils stayed at school this year, which made her life easier, and Ginny was now in the fourth year so she would be staying for the Yule ball. Ron and Hermione had planned to go together but with Ron in the hospital wing she didn't feel like going at all.  
  
Harry spent time in the library with Hermione and went to quidditch practice. The evenings seemed too quiet in the evenings. Hermione wasn't very good at chess. Fred and George didn't seem to be creating the usual hubbub in the common room. When he thought about it he didn't see Fred so much… or Lee … and Angelina and Alicia were definitely not spending as much time in the common room as they did last year. Either there was something going on there or he had far too much time on his hands.  
  
The Yule ball came. Hermione sat on Ginny's bed and was trying to help Ginny decide what to do with her hair. Hermione was dressed and ready, she'd decided to go alone because she was told, by the three Weasleys and Harry, that she had to go.   
  
"So, who are you getting dressed up for?"  
  
" Everyone's getting dressed up I don't want to look out of place."  
  
Ginny was wearing a beautiful emerald green robe. Hermione almost envied the way it matched her deep eyes but it was second-hand and Ginny felt embarrassed.   
  
"Who are you going with? Don't avoid the question."  
  
"Harry asked me."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why 'oh'?"  
  
"Well it would explain why you want to look so nice."  
  
"Harry's just a friend who was being polite."  
  
"And I suppose you just couldn't force your mother to find a more hideous robe."  
  
"I don't know what you mean."  
  
"All I'm saying is that Harry has to be blind not to fall for you."  
  
"Well…."  
  
"See you knew he couldn't resist you dressed like that."  
  
"You make me sound as if I'm dressed in lace underwear."  
  
"I'm not going into that. That dress clings where it should and doesn't where it shouldn't and the colour brings out your eyes. Every girl in that hall would give anything to look like you tonight."  
  
"Okay, okay, enough about me. Who are you going with, Hermione?  
  
"I'm going alone. Me and Ron were going to go together but I don't want to go with someone else. "  
  
"I'm sorry Hermione. Shouldn't we be going?"  
  
"You go ahead. Knock 'em dead!"   
  
Ginny walked carefully down the stairs because she wasn't used to the high heels. When she entered the common room only George, George's date and Harry were left. George swore under his breath and Harry's heart did a somersault. He, Harry Potter, would have this gorgeous young lady on his arm and he wasn't planning to let go. He had liked her but only as a friend or so he thought. She was…beautiful.  
  
As each couple entered the hall their names echoed around the hall. Each person could only enter once but they wouldn't need to enter a second time, everyone clapped as the couple set foot in the magnificent hall. Ginny was nervous as she held on to Harry's arm. Soon it would be their names.   
  
"Mr. Harry Potter and Miss Ginny Weasley!"   
  
The student body and faculty turned as a whole and stared. After thirty seconds of silence the sound of gushing air reverberated 'round the room as people began to breathe again.  
  
Hermione knew everyone would forget about her once they saw Ginny so she crept down to the hospital wing. She looked at Ron's motionless figure.  
  
"I promised I'd spend the night of the Yule ball with you and so I shall. I know you can't talk to me but I can talk to you. I really care for you Ron. I will find out who did this and stop them because… because I love you."  
  
Hermione burst into tears. She spent many hours in silence but she stayed there all night. In the early hours of the morning she fell asleep with her head on his chest.   
  
The pupils in the common room were very much awake. Someone had 'found' some Butterbeer and in the capable hands of Fred (very capable according to Angelina) it was duly shared out so that everyone got at least one glass, cup or mug-full. There was a lack of chairs in the common room, which could not be explained, so many couples shared a chair. Ginny tried to sit on the arm but after about a minute she slipped off and landed in Harry's lap, to much cheering and laughter. Ginny turned bright red but Harry whispered in her ear.   
  
"Don't worry. I don't mind you sitting here."  
  
Angelina and Fred aided the seating by standing in the corner. No one seemed to notice or ignored the fact that they had their tongues down each other's throats. At about half past two the party disbanded. Harry said goodnight to Ginny and kissed her lightly on the forehead, like you would a cousin or relative but Ginny was elated and went to bed dreaming of her Hero. Only Harry had noticed that Hermione had not been there. Only Harry had noticed that Hermione had not been there. Perhaps, he thought, she'd gone to bed early. With the crowd that drunk, he could understand why she wouldn't want to be there.  
  
The next morning was Christmas day. Harry opened the curtains around the bed next to him. Ron wasn't there.   
  
He remembered everything. How could he have been so stupid as to forget? He saw the presents lying at the end of Ron's bed. He looked at the labels.   
  
Mum and Dad: yet another maroon jumper.  
  
Fred and George: something that was likely to explode.  
  
Percy: some quills or something equally useful  
  
Bill: sweets of some sort   
  
Charlie: a souvenir of wherever he was or more sweets.  
  
Harry: the signed Chudley Cannons poster he'd found in a shop in Diagon Alley.  
  
Hermione:   
  
Harry didn't know what Hermione had bought Ron for Christmas. He hadn't thought about it. He put the presents in a drawer under the bed and decided to see Hermione instead. She'd entered his dorm in previous years so why shouldn't he go in hers. Harry was very quiet so he didn't wake anyone. Harry opened the curtains and peeked in. Hermione wasn't there.  
  
He thought hard. Where could she be? She wouldn't leave so she had to be in school. Where would Hermione go? …wherever Ron was… and Ron was in the hospital wing.  
  
Harry ran down there and saw Hermione sleeping. Madame Pomfrey would be in soon and she would have a fit. Harry didn't have his wand on him so he picked up the sleeping figure and carried her down to an empty classroom. Then he ran up to his room grabbed his wand and got back to the classroom as fast as he could. Twenty minutes later, Hermione was lying in her bed and Harry was in the bathroom having a shower.  
  
The rest of the holidays seemed to pass really quickly, as if the week was a way for the pupils to get ready for more work.  
  
Author's note: I know, pretty boring but I like it. It wasn't going to be this long. Just be glad it isn't any longer. Phew. Now that's done the fun can begin.   
Disclaimer: I do not own any of J.K. Rowling's characters locations, sports, etc. The title is a quote by Lady Isabella Augusta Gregory.  
  
Chapter 4: There's more learning than is taught in books.  
  
Potions was the first lesson after the holidays. The class was to start some work on potions that benefit the health, stimulants and medicines for example. Harry hoped the work would take Hermione's mind off the 'incident' and the night of the Yule ball, and then something strange happened.  
  
"Potter, I think it would be good for you to work with someone different for a change. Granger work with Malfoy, Goyle work with Potter."  
  
And that was that. Malfoy scowled at Hermione but when he saw the sadness in her eyes he decided that things might not be so bad after all. Hermione wasn't her usual controlling self. Snape outlined the project further and told the class to research the subject further for homework.  
  
"Hermione, you can go and get some books out at lunch time and you can do some research. You can tell me what we learnt tonight."  
  
"Okay, what time?"  
  
Hermione was in a daze.  
  
"About 10, no make that half past, the rest of the Slytherins will have gone off to their beds by then I can organise that. I don't want to be seen 'socialising' with a mudblood."  
  
"Okay."  
  
Harry was amazed. Normally Hermione would have lost her temper, but nothing happened. He also couldn't understand why Malfoy hadn't had a fit. There was something really peculiar going on.  
  
Hermione didn't participate in lessons like normal. When asked what she had been taught she could repeat the lesson word for word but her heart wasn't in it. She didn't stick her hand up once. Harry was severely worried but at lunchtime when she asked if he was going to help Ron, her head seemed firmly on her shoulders.  
  
They'd searched through nearly all the spell books they could find on immobilisation spells. They hadn't found much but by now they'd whittled it down to three possible spells. The other spells were all too complicated, even for some of their teachers, but they didn't know which one had been used.  
  
They met the Defence against the Dark Arts teacher, who seemed fairly normal for a school like Hogwarts. She was called Professor Leila Maddox. For the first term they had been covered and had even had Professor Lupin back for a month or so. Harry liked her but Hermione didn't seem to care.  
  
After lessons, Harry had quidditch practice. Ginny would have loved to have watched him but felt self-conscious so she helped Hermione with her research about medicine.  
  
At ten o'clock, the common room was nearly empty. Hermione finished off her work, took the books back to the library and then went down to the Slytherin common room. Malfoy was waiting outside for her.   
  
"So you made it. Bees knees"  
  
" Here's the work I did."  
  
They talked for a while about the work and then Hermione went to bed. Malfoy sat and brooded. After a while, a figure entered the room.  
  
"Hermione, is that you?"  
  
"No, shhh." The voice was husky. Malfoy knew it sounded familiar but couldn't remember who it belonged to. The figure's robe was tied around the waist with a belt or a rope. It hugged the figure's body and he could tell it was a girl who was at least in the fifth or sixth year.  
  
The body came and straddled his lap. He looked at the face. It was difficult to see in the near darkness and the face was wearing make-up. Perhaps the consumption of the Butterbeer Malfoy had sneaked into his room had added to his confusion.  
  
Sub-consciously he placed his hands on the body's hips. Her hands were in his hair and their lips met. Perhaps if he had been sober the following events would not have occurred but he wasn't. Their bodies began to move as one. Malfoy's hands moved up her body and felt lace. Before he unfastened the clasp he asked her one question.  
  
" Who are you?"  
  
As the dagger entered his stomach he let out a hollow moan of pleasure and pain. It was one question too many. The Slytherins heard him but it was too late. The figure was gone.  
  
Author's note: Happy now. I hope you liked it now REVIEW it!  
  
Disclaimer: All J.K. Rowling's characters belong to her.  
  
Chapter 5:   
  
"Harry, I think I know who one of the casters was."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Draco Malfoy."  
  
"Did he talk about Ron?"  
  
"No, but something wasn't right, as if he was preoccupied."  
  
"Okay, we can go down and see Ron because Madame Pomfrey might find it useful and she can tell Dumbledore."  
  
  
The pair walked down to the hospital wing. Hermione went and sat with Ron and held his hand. Harry went to talk to Madame Pomfrey but as he reached her, a body was rushed in. It was Malfoy and his own dagger was protruding from his stomach. Harry looked at him and the boy slipped into a coma.  
  
Ron's heart began to beat.  
  
"Harry, fetch Dumbledore!"  
  
Harry didn't know who had yelled at him but he went. When he reached Dumbledore's office he pounded on the door with his fists. Dumbledore opened the door and was shocked to see Harry in such a state.  
  
  
"Harry, what is it?"  
  
"…Ron…Malfoy …hospital wing."  
  
Dumbledore hurried along the corridor leaving Harry heaving on the floor, trying to catch his breath. A couple of minutes later, Harry was also in the hospital wing and it was clear that something important had happened. Madame Pomfrey was attending to both Draco and Ron, Hermione was explaining what had happened that evening and Dumbledore was listening intently. Harry felt he was intruding.  
  
"Do come and sit down, Harry"  
Dumbledore had his back to Harry and the words had startled the boy.  
  
"Harry there is good news and bad news. The good news is we have found on of the casters, the bad news is Miss Granger was the last person to see Mr. Malfoy."  
  
"He was alive when I left him Professor, I swear on my life he was. He was slightly preoccupied and drunk but very definitely alive."  
  
"I believe you my dear but no one saw him between you entering the common room and him being stabbed."  
  
"Who do you think did this, professor?"  
  
"I don't know, I don't know. Now to the other matter.  



End file.
